


(Maybe) This is Home

by SophiaCatherine



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Arguing, Childhood Trauma, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-28 02:09:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19802551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophiaCatherine/pseuds/SophiaCatherine
Summary: Len has turned his head to look at her now. There’s… something, in his eyes. “Surely they wouldn’t have taken him away from Joe, so soon after everything with his parents.”She aims a withering look at him. “Leonard. I’m sure you remember that the system doesn’t always work like that.”It’s sad recognition, that look in his eyes. He turns away.





	(Maybe) This is Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sandrine Shaw (Sandrine)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sandrine/gifts).



> Sandrine prompted "coldwestallen + homeless + hurt/comfort".
> 
> Title from the [Switchfoot](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0ykm1v9xbU) song.

_“That’s enough!”_ Iris yells, just managing to raise her voice over the bickering.

She looks between Leonard, seething with his arms folded tight across his chest, lounging against the back of the couch as though he’s fooling anyone with his don’t-care attitude, and Barry, who’s curled in on himself on a dining room chair, so angry he’s shaking... and how did she not notice that before?

Leaving Barry right now seems really mean. She knows what's been going on in his head this week, but she’s barely had time to talk to him about it, as busy as she’s been at the Citizen. But Leonard needs to know about this stuff, really understand, or the three of them are never going to work out.

She makes a strategic decision.

“Leonard,” she says, in just the tone of voice that always makes him snap to attention. (She pretends she’s not just a little bit proud that she can have that effect on Captain Cold.) “We’re going out to get ice cream.” She gives Barry a look that she hopes communicates _l love you and we’ll be back soon,_ and then throws one at Leonard that’s intended to mean _do exactly what I say and maybe you'll get out of this alive._

The point apparently comes across, because he follows her out of the house, muttering darkly.

As soon as they’re far enough down the street that she feels like she can talk openly - the three-block rule is silly when a speedster can catch you up anywhere anytime, but she doesn’t think he will - she rounds on Leonard. “You,” she says, pointing a finger with a nail manicured to a dangerous point, “picked a very bad week to decide to be an asshole.”

“Oh, I’m the asshole,” he almost growls. “Heard the things he’s been saying to me this week?”

Iris turns to glare at him. Leonard’s face is fixed in a hard, angry stare straight ahead, his arms still folded, taking strides so long she’s having trouble keeping up. “You have been _listening_ when he’s been talking about how we might be evicted, haven’t you? Yeah, he’s snapped at you a couple of times, when you were being so unsympathetic that _I’d_ have yelled at you if he hadn’t.”

“You won’t get evicted,” he mutters, but his eyes are narrowing slightly. “We can talk the landlord out of the rent increase. Even if we can’t, Barry’s got a well-paying job and you’re starting to bring in good money at the Citizen. Like I said to Barry. It’s going to be fine.”

She coughs a tired laugh. “None of that rational shit matters to him right now, Leonard.” 

They’re passing the city park, and she grabs his hand and all but drags him in, sitting down on a bench. She waits for him to slump down next to her before she says anything, trying to work out how to put this in a way he might understand.

Two kids, ten or eleven years old, are running around nearby. A girl pointing two fingers at a boy. Playing at heroes and villains.

_I’m the baddie._

_You can’t be a baddie, Iris. They hurt people. Don’t you want to be a hero?_

_No, I want to be the villain. They’re the cool ones._

_…I don’t want to play anymore._

“Has Barry told you how long it took for my dad to become his legal guardian?”

Leonard doesn’t answer. She sees his shoulders relax just a little, though, and maybe he’s starting to listen at last.

“The court process took a year.” She blows out a harsh sigh, remembering how hard that year was for all of them. How scared Barry was, how worried she was about him. “Barry’s aunt and uncle wanted custody, but Barry barely knew them and wanted to stay with us. He spent the year after his mother died knowing that the only bit of stability left in his life could be taken away from him, anytime. He slept in our bare little spare room - didn’t even unpack a picture of his parents. He was too afraid of having to pack everything away again.”

Len has turned his head to look at her now. There’s… something, in his eyes. _“Surely_ they wouldn’t have taken him away from Joe, so soon after everything with his parents.”

She aims a withering look at him. “Leonard. I’m sure you remember that the system doesn’t always work like that.” 

It’s sad recognition, that look in his eyes. He turns away. 

Iris sighs. “He was a mess. Yelling at social workers that his father was innocent. Refusing to go to therapy or take meds - not that I blame him. Running away to Iron Heights, fighting with Joe… Eventually, they told him that if things didn’t improve, they’d have to look at ‘institutional options.’” She does the air quotes, trying to make light of it, even though something briefly flares harsh and hot in her chest, before simmering down into a dull ache. Even after all these years. As a child she had railed against the injustice of it all - now it just makes her sad.

Leonard’s head whips back around, and he’s sneering. _“What?”_

She shrugs. “So he stopped talking about it.” 

Beside her, she can feel Leonard holding his breath.

“But he’s never forgotten. Anytime something threatens his security, he gets scared.” She raises an eyebrow at him. “It’s not something you can fix with logical explanations. You know trauma doesn’t work like that.”

He’s silent for a long time, his eyes taking in the kids running around and around the nearby tree. From the sound of it, the hero is making a valiant effort to persuade the villain to switch sides. It might even be working.

“You’re right,” he says gruffly, and clears his throat. “I’m an asshole.”

Iris pats his shoulder a couple of times. “You didn’t know.”

“I could probably have figured it out.”

She smiles at him. His eyes sparkle back at her, just a little, the way they only ever do for her and Barry. “Just tell him you’re sorry.”

The ice cream truck is announcing its arrival on the edge of the park, playing one of those off-key jangly tunes that are supposed to be cute, but mostly just remind Iris of the child-catcher from _Chitty Chitty Bang Bang_. 

Leonard stands, offering her his hand. “I believe we promised him ice cream.”

When they get back and Barry is curled up on the couch looking like the world is ending, Iris wants nothing more than to go to him. She sits resolutely down at the table instead, raising her eyebrows at the one of them that Barry needs more right now.

Len has his arms around him in a minute, not resisting as Barry breaks against his shoulder.

“It’s gonna be okay,” Leonard whispers. “I’m sorry it’s not, right now.” 

It’s as close as he gets to an apology, but Barry doesn’t seem to mind.

Iris puts the ice cream in the freezer. They’re going to need it later.

**Author's Note:**

> Find the rest of this little prompt series of my favourite ships [here](https://sophiainspace.tumblr.com/post/186262210772/all-the-birthday-prompts).


End file.
